Wolfsburg started well in Valerien Ismael’s first game in charge since being appointed as Dieter Hecking’s successor on a full-time basis, with Ricardo Rodriguez seeing an early free-kick flash wide before Mario Gomez followed suit with an acrobatic over-head kick. Schalke returned fire with the first half drawing to a close, with Max Meyer seeing a pair of efforts flash narrowly past the woodwork, and the sides went in for the half-time break with the scores at 0-0.

Schalke kept up their momentum after the restart, and Alessandro Schöpf was unlucky to see his effort saved by Diego Benaglio after flying past his marker. The Swiss goalkeeper had no chance with the winning goal, though. Sead Kolasinac flew up the left wing before cutting back for Goretzka, and the midfielder lashed home first time into the near top corner after finding himself unmarked in the box. Wolfsburg couldn’t find a response and it ended 1-0.

Sead Kolasinac (2nd l.) was given a rapturous applause at full-time after another stand-out performace for Schalke.

Man of the Match

Meyer aside, Kolasinac was Schalke’s best attacking threat - from left-back. The Bosnia-Herzegovina had a game-high 87 touches - one of which led to the winning goal.

Talking Point

Neither of these teams look like sides who should be fighting against relegation. Both have qualified for the UEFA Champions League within the last three seasons, and regardless of Saturday’s result, each should find themselves nearer the top third of the table than the bottom if they can continue to play like this.

Match Stats

Schalke have won 14 points from their last six games.

This is the first time in their history that Wolfsburg have been without a win in their opening six Bundesliga matches.

Schalke won for only the second time in 14 visits to Wolfsburg.

This was Schalke defender Naldo’s first game against his former club, with whom he made 125 Bundesliga appearances.

Luiz Gustavo (l.) was overrun in the Wolfsburg midfield in the second half.